Railway-rail



(No Model.)

E. J. KNAPP.

RAILWAY RAIL'. No. 402,022. Patented Apr. 2s, 1889.

"lullin-2K1..

Dv/witnesses, y, wumtz,f

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWAItD J. KNAPP, OFS'YRACUSE, NEW YORK.

RAILWAY- RAI L.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,022, dated April 23, 1889.

Application filed October 13, 1888. Serial No. 287,989. (No model.)

To all whom tA may concern,.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. KNAPP, of Syracuse, county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Rails, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical transverse section of the railway, showing a wheel in position. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sect-ion of the rail, showing two wheels in elevation.

My invention relates to the construction of rails for railways.

The object of my invention is to produce a rail provided 'witha recess for the flanges of the wheels, which is closed in its normal position and opened to receive the ilange when the weight of the car is applied through the iiangeV to the lling in the iiangeway.

My invention consists in the several novel features of construction and operation hereinafter described, and which are specifically set forth in the claim hereto annexed.

It is constructed as follows:

A is the rail, provided with the longitudinal central groove or flangeway, l, the sides of the top adjacent to the groove being flattened or otherwise adapted to be the tread of the rail, and, also, these tread andrail sections are so constructed that the rail can be used either way, vor when one side is worn the rail can be turned around and the other side used.

In the slotway I place first the springs 2, and upon those I place the longitudinal Iillin gbar 3, which is of the same width as the groove filler down, compressing the springs, substantially as shown in Fig. 2, and then the flange 5 of the wheel B fits into the groove and secures a perfect support therein, and as the car advances the springs, as soon as the weight is removed, throw'the filler back to its normal position flush with the tread of the rail.

In the bottom of the groove I make the perforations 4, through which any water enteringthe grooves can escape.

It will be observed that by this construction of rail I am enabled to lay the rails so that the tread is flush with the pavements on either side, thus forming no obstruction whatever tothe wheels of vehicles. The springs, which yield to the weight of the car, are too stiff to give any under the weight of a buggy, and heavy wagons are provided with wheels the tires of which are wider than the grooves.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-' A railway-rail grooved longitudinally and provided with a yielding filler, and drainageperforations through the bottom of the groove, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this lith day of October, 1888.

EDWARD J. KNAPP.

In presence of- H. P. DENIsoN, FRANK FEATHERLY.

of the rail, itting closely therein, so that when a car comes along the weight will force the 

